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BOWLING GREEN, OH – Today, Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5) joined Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL2), Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA16) and Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D-OH11) to introduce the Supporting Best Practices for Healthy Moms Act, a bill working to reduce maternal deaths and improve the health outcomes of pregnant women and mothers enrolled in Medicaid.

In the United States, about 700 women tragically die each year from complications resulting from pregnancy and childbirth, with Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined that two-thirds of these deaths are preventable.

While the Medicaid program plays a critical role in addressing the United States’ maternal mortality crisis, the nonpartisan Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) reports that pregnant beneficiaries are more likely to experience higher rates of severe maternal morbidity and mortality than pregnant individuals with private insurance. 

“Revolutionary technologies and innovations are doing incredible work to improve the health and wellbeing of people across the country, but we still have a lot of work to do to ensure women will not lose their lives during pregnancy and childbirth,” said Latta. “States are doing what they can to address the poor health outcomes for moms, but we can and must do more to assist states and health care providers in order to save lives. I am proud to partner with Representatives Robin Kelly, Mike Kelly, and Marcia Fudge, and Senators Pat Toomey and Sherrod Brown to introduce bipartisan legislation working to help all expecting mothers have the care and resources they need to have a safe pregnancy.”

“This bill is about saving lives. In 2020, starting or growing your family shouldn’t cost you your life,” said Robin Kelly. “We need to identify and establish best practices to prevent maternal mortality, much like what’s used today for suspected heart attacks. This bill is a good start, but more needs to be done to address this critical public health issue. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass additional legislation to ensure the health and safety of our precious new moms.”

“Knowing that 60% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable is heartbreaking,” said Mike Kelly. “This bill will provide health care resources and establish best practices for soon-to-be mothers so they can take appropriate steps to protect themselves from potential risks, a crucial step to reducing maternal mortality. Thank you to my colleagues for working with me on this legislation to support women as they do what only they can do: bring life into this world.”

“The pandemic continues to expose longstanding disparities in America.  However, a glaring example of health inequity that was present long before the pandemic is the maternal health crisis impacting Black mothers and babies,” said Fudge.  “It is unconscionable that hundreds of expectant mothers and infants, disproportionately women and babies of color, die from preventable causes each year.  I’m proud to support this critical legislation to address our nation’s maternal mortality crisis in an overarching way by identifying and promoting best practices and interventions that support healthy pregnancies.”

U.S Senators Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced companion legislation in the Senate earlier this month.

“Nearly 700 women died last year in the United States as a result of complications from pregnancy and childbirth. But we know that as many as two-thirds of these deaths may be preventable,” said Toomey. “This legislation will help improve health outcomes for pregnant women and mothers enrolled in Medicaid by increasing information and resources to better monitor and treat at-risk pregnancies, as well as inform Congress on policies that may assist states in reducing maternal deaths.”

“A mother’s chance of surviving pregnancy shouldn’t depend on her zip code or the type of insurance she has,” said Brown. “Too many mothers are dying. As the death rate continues to skyrocket, the disparities in maternal mortality have increased along with it, further contributing to the Black maternal health crisis - and that has to change. By meeting moms where they are, listening to health experts, and establishing best practices, we can improve health outcomes and keep more of our mothers and children healthy and safe.”

The Supporting Best Practices for Healthy Moms Act would:

• Create a diverse, representative National Advisory Committee on Reducing Maternal Deaths to:
• Establish best practices for all Medicaid-covered maternal care providers and clinicians to screen, monitor, and treat at-risk pregnancies;
• Generate culturally competent materials to help inform pregnant women of potential risks during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum; and
• Identify best practice for tracking maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity trends.
• Report to Congress on potential payment disincentives or regulatory barriers to the transfer of pregnant women between facilities before and during birth, as well as during the postpartum period.

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